Common cold 'could lead to dementia'

New research from the US has discovered that over time suffering from the common cold could lead to memory loss and eventually dementia.

The world-famous Mayo Clinic in Minnesota carried out the research.

Eventually, new drugs to combat the cold and other ailments could be developed from the results of the research, according to Dr Charles Howe of the Mayo Clinic.

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Speaking on BBC Radio 4's PM programme, Dr Howe said: "The hypothesis is that if you get an infection, say every year for your entire adult life, that as you get older that injury may accumulate through time to reduce your cognitive reserve and eventually manifest itself as a memory deficit."

The research being performed at the clinic is aimed at helping understand how viruses injure neurones in the brain and how this might influence behaviour, added Dr Howe.

Animals were used in the research, which tested their ability to memorise maps and find their way out of a maze.

Those animals which had their hippocampus injured following being infected were unable to find their way out of the maze, Dr Howe said.

The common cold is an infection of the upper respiratory tract and is generally considered harmless, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Symptoms of the cold include a runny nose, sore throat, cough, watery eyes, sneezing and congestion.

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